Tool for driving and setting headless nails or metal tacks

ABSTRACT

An improved tool for driving and setting headless nails or metal tacks is disclosed, comprising a driving device which is associated with a novel magazine essentially consisting of a casing closed by a slidable member, both defining therein a passage for housing and guiding a plurality of headless nails which are elastically pushed into a T-contoured ejection passage where they are driven by a ribbed and pointed ejector connected to the driving device. Moveable parts inside the magazine can partially take up or fill the passage for housing and guiding headless nails of different lengths.

United States Patent 11 1 Maestri [54] TOOL FOR DRIVING AND SETTINGHEADLE SS NAILS OR METAL TACKS [76] Inventor: Bruno Maestri, ViaVincenzo Toppa 26,'Milan, Italy [22] Filed: March 24, 1971 21 Appl. No.1127,634

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuatio'n-in-part of Ser. No.856,001, Sept. 8,

I969, abandoned.

[30] v Foreign Application PriorityData Sept. 12, 1968 ltaly ..21372A/68 Feb. 20, 1969 Italy ..13102 A/69 [52] US. Cl. ..227/109 [51 Int.Cl. ..B27f 7/14 1 [58] Field of Search ..227/109 1 1March 13, 1973 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 692,740 2/1902 Van Auken..227/1o9 1,983,398 12/1934 Polzer ..227/109 2,994,878 8/1961 Abrahamsen..227/l09 Primary Exami'nerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Browdy &Neimark [57] ABSTRACT An improved tool for driving and setting headlessnails or metal tacks is disclosed, comprising a driving device which isassociated with a novel magazine essentially consisting of a casingclosed by a slidable member, both defining therein a passage for housingand guiding a plurality of headless nails which are.

elastically pushed into a T-contoured ejection passage where they aredriven by a ribbed and pointed ejector connected to the driving device.Moveable parts inside the magazine can partially take up or fill thepassage for housing and guiding headless nails of different lengths.

10 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNAR 1 31975 SHEET 20F a I MfAWM/QI BY ATTORNEY/5 TOOL FOR DRIVING AND SETTING IIEADLESS NAILS OR METALTACKS the like. More particularly, this invention relates toimprovements made to equipment or tools of the above type so thatheadless nails or tacks may be driven and set.

Mechanically operated equipment and tools for applying -in quicksuccession clips, staples, or nails provided with a large or at leastshaped head, are well known in the prior art and are suitable for manyuses. Said kind of staples and nails, capable of being driven and set bysuch known means, are always visible on the outside of the structuresinto which they are set. In fact, the broad head of the nail or thebridging part of the staple, which serves as a head common to the twoshanks of the staple itself, can be seen at the surface of the piece orpart of wood or the like into which the shanks have been set.

This superficial evidence, as well as other technical considerations,prevent the use of said known mechanical means of driving in many fieldsand in many operations in which mechanical nail driving would be mostprofitable. An example of such fields, not exploited at the presenttime, is in the application of profiles, mouldings, frames and the likein wood, plastics, or the like. Said application requires the fixing tobe made, in addition to a possible glueing operation, with metal tacksor with nails, generally very fine nails completely headless, which areto be totally inserted in the part to which they are applied, preferablyburying their top end to a depth for example of about one millimeter, sothat on finishing said nails or tacks are practically invisible.

The nail driving devices of the prior art are not suitable for this sortof work for two main reasons. One reason is that said tacks or headlessnails, having neither bridging part nor broad head, cannot be housed,moved forward and guided in magazines provided with a guide passageshaped as a nail head by means of which the headed nails can be alignedand supported. The second reason is that the ejector or driverof thetool, which must have a transverse section corresponding to that of theelements to be ejected and driven, would be reduced to a fine rod orpractically to a wire when those elements are headless nails, obviouslyunable to stand the load due to the energetic action necessary at themoment of driving in the nail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a main object of this inventionto pro- I vide improved devices adapted to overcome the aboveestablishedand standardized can be rationally housed, driven and set.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of the typeand for the aforementioned uses or similar uses, further improved sothat it can be used for a very long time even under imperfect cleaningand lubricating conditions.

One'of the characteristics of an embodiment of the present invention isthe provision of a magazine for placing in a longitudinally moveableposition, a plurality or load of headless nails or tacks, laid on thesame plane and driven by a suitable member duly sprung towards theejection position in such a way that each single nail or tack issuccessively ejected by the driving device duly operated mechanically orpneumatically. A vertically extended horizontal passage is formed withinthis magazine in order to provide a coordinated and guided movement ofthe headless nails. Part of one side of said magazine is comprised ofone or more moveable members duly designed to occupy a correspondingspace in the passage in order to lodge and guide tacks shorter than themaximum height of said passage. For this purpose, each of said moveableparts is pushed by springs towards the opposite side of the magazine.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, particularlysuitable for a prolonged use under imperfect conditions of cleaning andoiling, the improvement consists essentially in associating with saidmoveable members suitable mechanical means of which the moveable membersare selectively advanced into the position wherein they occupy part ofthe passage for the headless nails. Said moveable members can be rigidlylocked in said position eliminating at the same time any lateral loadwhen the moveable'members must be drawn back to allow the use of longerheadless nails or tacks. Preferably, said moveable members are combinedwith springs to push them back to the backward position, contrastingwith the said mechanical means of advancing or transverse movement.

Said mechanical means may be of different types and include also thepresence and use of replaceable parts. Preferably, said mechanical meansinclude a moveable component within the magazine which can, on command,take on several positions in which none or one or more of said moveableparts will be in the advanced position or rigidly blocked'in theiroperating position.

These and other more specific characteristics of the present invention,together with the main advantages deriving from same will become evidentfrom the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereofshown in the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a pneumatic nailer improved according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view, partially broken away and with an opened side,of the housing, feed and ejection unit of the improved tool of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C show sectional views of said unit taken along theline III-III in FIG. 2, in its different positions according to thelength of the nail to be driven;

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the same unit;

FIG. 5 shows on a very enlarged scale part of the ejection unit,sectioned along the plane indicated by V- V in FIG. 6;

lustrated in FIG. 2, the magazine of a tool improved acl0 cording to afurther embodiment designed for selective use of tacks or headless nailsof three different lengths;

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C show the mechanical means operable by the worker,used for the selective advance of the moveable parts, said mechanicalmeans are shown in a sectional view taken along the line XI- XI in FIG.14, and in its three different possible positions with reference to FIG.11;

FIG. 12 shows a broken top view of the magazine partially sectionedalong the line XII-XII of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13 and 14 show the magazine in greater detail and in a transversesection taken along lines XIII-XIII and XIV-XIV respectively of FIG. 11;and

FIG. 15 shows, essentially in the same conditions illustrated in FIGS.2-11 the magazine ofa tool improved according to a further embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 15 A, 15 B and 15 C show the mechanical means operable by theworker, used for the selective advance of the moveable parts, saidmechanical means are shown in a sectional view taken along lines XV- XVin FIG. 18 and in its three different possible positions with referenceto FIG. 15:

FIG. 16 shows a broken top view of the magazine partially sectionalalong line XVIXVI of FIG. 15;

FIGS. 17 and 18 show the magazine in greater detail and in a transversesection taken along lines XVII- XVII and XVIII--XVIII of FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With particular reference toFIG. 1, an improved tool according to the invention includes a drivingmechanism C, for example a pneumatic portable one, adapted to operatewith the necessary reciprocating movement, an ejector or drivercontained within an ejecting and driving unit E and a magazine M, forhousing and feeding of the headless nails or tacks to be driven. Theoverall unit C will not be described or shown in detail because it doesnot constitute a characteristic of the present invention; it can beeasily produced in any well known way by those skilled in the art.

According to a characteristic of the improvement, the magazine M isadapted to contain, guide and move forward tacks or headless nails P ofdifferent lengths, for example nails P, P and P" consisting of pieces ofwire duly pointed at the ends and having a length of for example 14mm,19mm and 24mm respectively. It would be well to note here that the nailsP, P and P" are connected together into a strip, rather than beingindividual nails, for ease of handling, and by any familiar method ofbeing joined. These lengths, however, are not in any way limiting solong as they are chosen and maintained with sufficient dimensionaltolerance. The headless nails of different lengths can be indifferentlyinserted into the magazine M where they are moved forward by the ejectoror driver 10 within an ejection or drive passage 11 provided for in theejection unit E.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 4, the magazine M is essentially comprisedof an E-shaped casing 12 having inside protruding parts provided withopposed grooves 22 and 23 (FIG. 4) for the smooth housing of a slidingcover member 13 which forms one of the sides of the nail housing space.The cover member 13 can be drawn back, following removal of a catch 14,for the opening of the magazine and for a temporary withdrawal of apusher member 15, operated by a spring 16, which serves for pushing theplurality of nails towards and into the ejection passage 11. When cover13 is removed, pusher 15 is held in retracted position because it isrigidly connected to the cover 13 through a shaft 16' of the spring 16which has one end attached to the terminal part of the cover 13 by anysuitable means as shown at 16.

The tacks are guided along a narrow vertical passage of variable heightas described hereinbelow, one side of which is formed by the aforesaidcover member 13. The opposite side at the lower half is formed by thesame E-shaped casing 12 particularly by both its parts 12 (FIG. 4). Theupper half of the E-shaped casing 12 has a recess 12" into which arelodged the prismatic bars 17 and 18; these are elastically pushedagainst the opposite slidable cover 13 by compression springs 19 and 20respectively (FIG. 3A, 3B and 4). Springs 19 and 20 are very limited instrength, and are held in place by means of bolts 17' and 18' (FIGS. 2,3A, 3B and 3C). One or both said bars are drawn back into the recess12", as it can be seen in FIGS. 38 and 3C, when a series of tacks P(FIG. 2 and 3B) of P" (FIG. 3C) having an intermediate length or themaximum length allowed by the size of the magazine M are inserted intothe housing space. Said tacks are guided both on their sides andvertically as their ends lightly touch the bottom and top limit of theirhousing, said top limit being provided for by bar 17 for tacks P ofintermediate length, and by bar 18 for tacks P of shorter length as canbe seen in FIGS. 38 and 3A respectively.

The headless nails or tacks are subsequently moved along the ejectionpassage 11 which, as can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 6, is shaped as a T"with the broad transverse portion 11' and the groove 11". These portionsof the passage are preferably formed in opposite members 30 and 31 thesecond of which is suitably moveable, at least in its lower part, forthe accessibility to the passage along which the tacks move. A properfastener, for example an elastic clip 32, will keep said two members ina working position.

The groove 11" longitudinally embraces part of the tacks P, which extendinto said groove, sufficiently to ensure a guide for the straightness oftheir movement during their ejection.

The broader portion 11 serves to hold the correspondingly broader part33 of the ejector 10, which has a corresponding T" shape and practicallyconsists of a flat piece having a longitudinal rib 34. This form of theejector ensures a maximum of rigidity and resistance to stress along itswhole length. The upper end 35 (FIG. 7) of the ejector is shaped in sucha way as to permit a proper connection with the piston of the pneumaticmechanism or whichever means is used to move the ejector.

Moreover, the broader part 33 of the ejector gradually gets narrower inproximity of its lower end so that the ejector terminates with a point34' (FIG. 7 and 10) which completely embraces the section of theheadless nail and can penetrate slightly into the surface into which thenail is being driven, so as to effect the required setting withoutleaving the slightest trace.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10, although'assuring a verysatisfactory operation under normal conditions, may give rise to somedifficulties when used for an exceptionally long time and/or underimperfect cleaning and oiling conditions. Said difficulties, mainly dueto presence of compression springs 19 and 20, are overcome by theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 14 where said compression springsare replaced by return springs.

Referring now to FIG. 11, there is shown the magazine M, in which also aplurality of headless nails of different lengths can be lodged, inparticular three different lengths. In the figure, the magazine M shownis loaded with tacks P' of medium length, which are subsequently pushedto the ejection position where they are subjected to the action of theejector 10 contained in ejection unit E. The movement towards saidposition is ensured by a pusher member 115 pushed by a spring 116 whichis supported on a block 117 connected to a slidable bottom part 118positioned in the lower part of the casing 112 of the magazine M. Theopening of the housing space of the magazine may be carried out, afterdisengagement of the latching device 114, by removing the bottom part118. The loading of the magazine is thus effected from the lower side,said condition not being of primary importance insofar as said magazinemay be loaded by other equivalent means.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the moveablemembers 217 and 218 consist of longitudinal prismatic bars which areadapted to occupy the upper part of the housing space when pressedagainst the side part 113 of the casing 112, in a similar way as bars 17and 18 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10. In this case,however, the bars 217 and 218 are connected to return springs and, inparticular, pairs of returnsprings 119 and 120 respectively, at tachedto the opposite side 121 of the casing 112 of the magazine, causing therespective prismatic bars to draw back and thus make free the respectiveupper part of the space housing the nails. Consequently, in thisembodiment, without any intervention of other mechanicalmeans, themagazine would be ready to receive longer nails occupying the wholespace available in the magazine.

The mechanical means used in this embodiment to move the bars 217 and/or218 selectively in the direction B or B" respectively (FIG. 13),contrasting with the action of the return springs 119 and 120respectively, consist in pairs of balls 50 and 51 respectively. Saidballs are housed in holes in a wall 52 integral with the internal body53 of the magazine in a way that they can move transversely. The ballsare urgedagainst a plate 54 acting as a cam on said balls. The camplate54 is longitudinally slidable along the casing ll2 over the body 53 ofthe magazine and has an handgrip such as a lug 55 slidable along theslot 56 in the upper part of the casing 112.

The cam-plate 54 has lengthwise profiled recesses 57 and 58 through partof its thickness, said recesses having a depth less than the radius ofballs 50 and 51. The shape and function of said recesses areparticularly comprehensible with reference to FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C, inwhich said plate 54 is shown in its three possible operating positionsdefined with respect to the pairs of balls 50 and 51 of FIG. 11. Themere forward and rearward manual movement of plate 54 will move balls 50and 51 out of the recesses 57 and 58 because the depth of said recessesis less than the radius of the balls so that the edge of each recess canpush the ball into the correspondent hole in wall 52.

In the position shown in FIG. 11A, the balls 51 acting on the lower bar218, cannot slip into said recesses, therefore the bar 218 remainspushed ahead in its position protruding into the housing space. Intosaid space, therefore, can be inserted only those nails or tacks havingthe shortest length provided for the use of the tool. In the positionshown in FIG. 113, corresponding to that shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14,the balls 51 can be drawn back as they are situated in front of therecesses 57-58 whereas balls 50 keep the upper bar 217 in its forwardposition thus preparing the housing for the insertion and guiding ofnails P of intermediate length. In the position shown in FIG. 11C therecesses 57-58 are situated in the back of all the balls 50 and 51 thusallowing both bars 217 and 218 to be urged backwards by the respectivesprings 119 and thus preparing the housing space for the insertion andguiding of the nails having the maximal height allowed by the verticaldimensions of the housing of the magazine.

From the aforegoing and with reference to FIGS. 1 to l4'it may be easilyunderstood how the second embodiment overcomes the aforementioneddifficulties due to the presence of compression springs. In fact, for.example, under the condition shown in FIG. 14, the bar 218 exercises noside pressure on the nails I" as it is kept in its withdrawn position bythe respective return springs 120 (FIG. 13). Even should the returnsprings weaken or were no longer operational after a very prolonged useof the tool, the bar may be pulled back in consequence of the insertionof the nails into the housing space. The bars are moved forward by theoperator and sufficient force can be exercised on them to overcome anyeventual blocking or jamming. Said force is equally transmitted alongthe bars at spaced points, corresponding to the positions of the pairsof balls 50 and 51. The positioning of the bars is therefore uniformthroughout the whole useful length of the housing space for the nails.

However, in view of the fact that the improved device has been describedand illustrated for exemplification purposes without any limitation, itis obvious that said device may be embodied with many other differentequivalent solutions without exceeding the scope of the inventionitself.

For example, a possible modification, which would be particularly usefulin order to prevent the insertion of deformed nails between the bars217-218 and the said part 113 of the casing 112, may be the inversion ofthe operational direction of the springs 119-120. In

said case, the cam-plate 54 would drawback the bars 217-218 instead ofpush them forward and the springs 119-120 would push the bars 217-218instead of drawing them back.

With the inversion of the operational direction of the springs 119 it ispossible to eliminate the pairs of balls 50, 51 and to simplify the formof the cam-plate 54. As illustrated in the drawings (FIG. 16-18) thebars 317 and 318 have each an internal cavity lodging the camplate 354which can be moved back and forth inside said cavities. Each cavity isprovided with a pair of protrusions placed at a predetermined horizontaldistance. At the same predetermined horizontal distance there are pairsof rectangular holes 357 and 358 in the cam-plate 354 (FIG. 15 A-C).Said pairs of holes are disposed along two or more superimposed linesaccording to the number of bars. In this case the bars are two (317 and318) so that the pairs of holes should be also two, but in the FIG. 15A-C there is an additional pair of holes, in the upper line, forconstructive purposes only.

The embodiment of FIGS. l-10 operates as follows: After having releasedthe catch 14, the sliding fiat cover 13 is drawn back, thus withdrawingthe shaft 16, the pusher 15, and the spring 16. The strip of nails isnow placed into the magazine with the points on the bottom side of thepassage. If the nails are of sufficient length, the strip of nails mustbe forced against the spring bars 17 and 18 (or bar 18 alone) with thefingers of one hand while the sliding cover 13 together with the shaft16, pusher l5 and spring 16 are slided forward by the other hand untilthe catch 14 sticks in its lock. At this time, the nails are forced bypusher against front member 31 and the first nail is in position forejection by the ejector 10.

The embodiments of FIGS. 11-14 and 15-18 both have the same operationalsteps. After having placed the lug 55 of the cam plate in the positioncorresponding to the height of the nails to be loaded, the magazine isinverted, the spring-operated lever 114 is released and the slidingcover 118 together with pusher 115, its shaft and spring 116 are drawnback. The nails, preferably connected in a strip, are now droppedvertically into the passage of the housing. When the sliding cover 118and its appendages are slided forward until the lever 114 catches thelock, the nails are urged against the ejection unit E, thus permittingthe driving operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for driving headless nails and tacks comprising driving means;

a magazine associated with said driving means and having an open side;

an elongated flat member slidably closing the open side of saidmagazine;

a horizontal passage for housing the nails, defined by the internalfaces of said magazine and of said elongated member;

a spring operated thrust member for urging the nails along the passagetoward one end of the magazine;

an ejection passage joining the one end of the magazine, for receivingthe nails urged from the magazine by the thrust member;

an ejector driven by the driving means, said ejector being slidablymounted in the ejection passage to drive the nails as they are fed fromsaid magazine; a longitudinal bar located in said magazine, said barbeing moveable within said magazine to restrict the vertical size ofsaid passage so that said passage can accommodate nails of varyinglengths; and adjusting means for urging said bar into a predeterminedposition within said magazine. 2. A tool as defined in claim 1, whereinat least two longitudinal bars are provided within said magazine,

10 adjusting means being provided for each bar.

3. A tool as defined in claim 2, wherein said adjusting means comprises:

two spaced pluralities of balls, each plurality being in permanentcontact with each of the bars;

a cam-plate having a spaced pair of stepped recesses therein to lodgesaid balls, said recesses having a depth less than the radius of saidballs;

means for adjusting the horizontal position of said cam-plate so thatsaid recesses may be brought into or out of alignment with either one orboth or none of the pluralities of balls; and

spring means for urging said bars toward said balls.

4. A tool in accordance with claim 3 wherein said magazine furtherincludes a longitudinal slot along the upper portion thereof and whereinsaid means for adjusting the position of said cam-plate comprises ahandgrip on the upper portion of said cam-plate, said handgrip passingthrough said slot.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein said ejection passage has a T-shapedcontour and said ejector has a T-shaped cross section, the lower portionof the ejector being chamfered to terminate in a point having atransverse dimension slightly exceeding the diameter of the headlessnails to be driven.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the elongated flat member closing theopen side of the magazine is slidably attached at one side of saidmagazine and is held in closing position by a catch means.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the open side of said magazine is at thebottom thereof and said catch means is a latching device.

8. A tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjusting meanscomprises:

spring means for urging said bar in the direction of said flat membersuch that said bar engages the nails when long nails are used and saidbar engages said flat member when short nails are used effectivelyvarying the vertical size of said passage.

9. A tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said bar is provided with a longitudinally extending horizontal cavitytherein and a plurality of protrusions within said cavity; and

said adjusting means includes a cam-plate within said cavity, aplurality of spaced recesses in said camplate to lodge said protrusions,means for adjusting the horizontal position of said cam-plate so thatsaid recesses may be brought into or out of alignment with saidprotrusions, and spring means for urging said protrusions toward saidrecesses.

10. A tool in accordance with claim 9 wherein said magazine furtherincludes a longitudinal slot along the upper portion thereof and whereinsaid means for adjusting the position of said cam-plate comprises ahandgrip on the upper portion of said cam-plate, said handgrip passingthrough said slot.

* i I i

1. A tool for driving headless nails and tacks comprising driving means;a magazine associated with said driving means and having an open side;an elongated flat member slidably closing the open side of saidmagazine; a horizontal passage for housing the nails, defined by theinternal faces of said magazine and of said elongated member; a springoperated thrust member for urging the nails along the passage toward oneend of the magazine; an ejection passage joining the one end of themagazine, for receiving the nails urged from the magazine by the thrustmember; an ejector driven by the driving means, said ejector beingslidably mounted in the ejection passage to drive the nails as they arefed from said magazine; a longitudinal bar located in said magazine,said bar being moveable within said magazine to restrict the verticalsize of said passage so that said passage can accommodate nails ofvarying lengths; and adjusting means for urging said bar into apredetermined position within said magazine.
 1. A tool for drivingheadless nails and tacks comprising driving means; a magazine associatedwith said driving means and having an open side; an elongated flatmember slidably closing the open side of said magazine; a horizontalpassage for housing the nails, defined by the internal faces of saidmagazine and of said elongated member; a spring operated thrust memberfor urging the nails along the passage toward one end of the magazine;an ejection passage joining the one end of the magazine, for receivingthe nails urged from the magazine by the thrust member; an ejectordriven by the driving means, said ejector being slidably mounted in theejection passage to drive the nails as they are fed from said magazine;a longitudinal bar located in said magazine, said bar being moveablewithin said magazine to restrict the vertical size of said passage sothat said passage can accommodate nails of varying lengths; andadjusting means for urging said bar into a predetermined position withinsaid magazine.
 2. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein at least twolongitudinal bars are provided within said magazine, adjusting meansbeing provided for each bar.
 3. A tool as defined in claim 2, whereinsaid adjusting means comprises: two spaced pluralities of balls, eachplurality being in permanent contact with each of the bars; a cam-platehaving a spaced pair of stepped recesses therein to lodge said balls,said recesses having a depth less than the radius of said balls; meansfor adjusting the horizontal position of said cam-plate so that saidrecesses may be brought into or out of alignment with either one or bothor none of the pluralities of balls; and spring means for urging saidbars toward said balls.
 4. A tool in accordance with claim 3 whereinsaid magazine further includes a longitudinal slot along the upperportion thereof and wherein said means for adjusting the position ofsaid cam-plate comprises a handgrip on the upper portion of saidcam-plate, said handgrip passing through said slot.
 5. The tool of claim1, wherein said ejection passage has a T-shaped contour and said ejectorhas a T-shaped cross section, the lower portion of the ejector beingchamfered to terminate in a point having a transverse dimension slightlyexceeding the diameter of the headless nails to be driven.
 6. The toolof claim 1, wherein the elongated flat member closing the open side ofthe magazine is slidably attached at one side of said magazine and isheld in closing position by a catch means.
 7. The tool of claim 6,wherein the open side of said magazine is at the bottom thereof and saidcatch means is a latching device.
 8. A tool in accordance with claim 1wherein said adjusting means comprises: spring means for urging said barin the direction of said flat member such that said bar engages thenails when long nails are used and said bar engages said flat memberwhen short nails are used effectively varying the vertical size of saidpassage.
 9. A tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said bar isprovided with a longitudinally extending horizontal cavity therein and aplurality of protrusions within said cavity; and said adjusting meansincludes a cam-plate within said cavity, a plurality of spaced recessesin said cam-plate to lodge said protrusions, means for adjusting thehorizontal position of said cam-plate so that said recesses may bebrought into or out of alignment with said protrusions, and spring meansfor urging said protrusions toward said recesses.